
- #How to install mac os x on new ssd macbook pro how to#
- #How to install mac os x on new ssd macbook pro portable#
- #How to install mac os x on new ssd macbook pro pro#
One is near the top at the motherboard, and the other requires removing the strongly-magnetized shield over the CPUs, at lower center (sorry no pictures). Depending on the model, you’ll need to remove one or two screws to allow the fan assembly to be pulled out.

The fan assembly needs to be removed to allow access to the SATA ports on the motherboard (unless you have really small fingers).
#How to install mac os x on new ssd macbook pro pro#
Sorry, no pictures as an older Mac Pro was not available.įor you convenience, click here for a ready-to-order Cart containing all the tools and cables you’ll need. You’ll need to route a SATA cable from the motherboard into the lower optical bay, and also use a power splitter/adapter cable for the right plug to provide power to the drive. The Mac Pro models prior to the March 2009 Nehalem are not pre-wired in the optical bay for SATA. I prefer to magnetize my screwdrivers with a small but powerful neodymium magnet, to avoid screws falling into awkward places.
#How to install mac os x on new ssd macbook pro portable#
Tools - the NewerTech 11-piece Portable Toolkit is an excellent choice for most Mac hardware installation. Installation in older Mac Pros (2006 - 2008)

There is no specific how-to video for this, no tools needed, but the other OWC videos may be helpful in familiarizing yourself with the machine innards. It’s a 2-minute operation to install the drive. This is a breeze the Mac Pro Nehalem (see review), is pre-wired with the SATA and power cable. In that case, you can either remove the lower optical drive and put it into an external case, or use one of the 4 standard bays. If you have two optical drives, the lower bay is occupied. However, I prefer to use the 4 standard internal bays for large fast hard drives, and to install the SSD in the lower optical bay. Want a top-performing Mac Pro pre-configured and pre-tested? See this page. In all Mac Pros, you can install the 2.5" SSD drive into a 3.5" converter case like the Icy Dock, so that it can be installed in any of the four standard drive bays. Mac Pro installation varies depending on model. You can later recycle that drive for backup duty or other purposes. Once you have rebooted off the SSD, store the original boot drive safely somewhere for a short while. When the clone has finished, use System Preferencs => Startup Disk to set the SSD as the startup drive. Setting the Startup Disk Setting the startup disk The cloning process will of course take time in proportion to how much data is present, so clear out any files you don’t need, empty the trash, clear browser caches, etc before starting the clone. Select your existing boot drive (“Source Disk”) and select the new drive (“Target Disk”), then click Clone.

To avoid confusion, I like to name my boot drive Boot, or for the SSD, XBoot, or as shown below, NewBoot. Format the drive (“Erase”) How, then clone to the new drive as described below. Initializing the SSDĪfter rebooting the system will recognize the newly installed SSD. For the Mac Pro, install the drive as detailed below.įor other Macs with only a single internal drive, the Voyager Q drive dock is a convenient option: insert the new SSD drive into the Voyager Q to make the clone, then replace the existing system drive with the SSD. To make the clone, the new drive (SSD) needs to be connected. Even if you’re not installing a new drive, a regular/periodic clone of your system drive is a smart move in case your system drive ever fails or starts to misbehave. These instructions assume you are switching your boot (system) drive to an SSD otherwise install an SSD just like any hard drive and use it as you see fit.Ĭlone your boot drive with Carbon Copy Cloner onto the new SSD drive (the original becomes a backup once you start booting off the SSD). SSD slowing down? Get it back into shape with DiskTester 'recondition'. For Macs with only a single internal drive (everything else), a higher capacity SSD is advised. My 80GB boot drive contains only ~38GB of files and I have numerous applications installed. For a boot drive, an 80GB drive is more than adquate for a Mac Pro you’ll want to separate your data from the boot drive anyway.

#How to install mac os x on new ssd macbook pro how to#
Send Feedback Related: hard drive, iMac, laptop, Mac Pro, MacBook, raw file processing, SSD, storage, videoĪs described in How to Make Your Mac Feel Lighting Fast, I’m never going back to a hard drive for my system/applications drive.īut how do you switch to a solid state drive (SSD) if your system is presently on a hard drive? It’s easy really- clone your existing system (boot) drive to the new SSD drive, then replace the existing boot drive with the now-identical SSD.
